Irish PM-Is Pathway To Restore NI Protocol, But EU Moves Not Reciprocated

Wires carrying comments from Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin stating that 'we believe there is a pathway to restoring the Northern Ireland protocol' but that 'the EU's moves on the protocol have not been reciprocated [by the UK]'.

• Martin held a phone call with UK PM Boris Johnson on 10 May, tweeting afterwards that he “stressed [the] need to intensify EU and UK discussions, and to avoid any unilateral action.”
• EU-UK tensions reaching multi-month highs as concerns in Brussels and Dublin rise that the UK will unilaterally disapply the NI protocol in order to ensure frictionless trade between NI and the rest of the UK.
• Unionist parties in NI have refused to return to the power-sharing executive until the protocol is ditched by Westminster. Some outlets have reported that there are concerns in Westminster that rise of republican Sinn Fein combined with continued implementation of the protocol could jeopardise the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.